To discuss the Fat Poets Speak series of books of poems, published by Pearlsong Press

Friday, September 12, 2014

The Terminally Fashionable Ms. I

Ms. I
thin as a fashionable rail
not a hair out of place
not a button loose
not a thread frayed
not a heel worn
reels back on her feet
when confronted
with the ineffable sight
and sound and touch
of a fat student
who wishes to hug her
in thanks.

Ms. I
looks down her nose
almost wrinkles it
almost gapes
almost blanches
not quite believing
her oh so trim limbs
and fashionably spectacled
eyes.

Ms. I
takes one fashionably small
step back
to let the student know
the full extent
of her oh so fashionable
disapproval.

Ms. I
takes one fashionably short
breath
because breathing longer and louder
would be hopelessly uncouth.

Ms. I
lets her fashionably spectacled
eyes
glaze over just slightly
as her pursed mouth yields
a wordless reproach
and her skin crawls
just a smidgen.

How did I ever let her in my class again?
her adeptly fashionable mind rages,
but not too far.

To meet one's anger and show it
is so so uncouth
that it stands the risk
of exposing the owner
as terminally
irredeemably
unrescuably